Sweet Tooth
by Blank001832
Summary: The infamous Raven thief has stolen countless amounts of money, diamonds, and other priceless artifacts from the wealthy. But can he steal the heart of a beautiful and hardworking candy shop owner?
1. Chance Encounter

A/n: revised chapter one. More notes at end.

Chapter rating: T

Warnings: Some profanity~

And I should probably say this: **This is an AU fic**.

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><p><strong>Sweet Tooth<strong>

Chapter One: Chance Encounter

**T**he night air was refreshing; the cool wind clung to his skin as the raven silently moved within the shadows of a sleeping city. Jet-black bangs were plastered onto his pale forehead as an expanse of silky ebony locks followed suit to the tune of the rushing air surrounding him. Embracing him.

In his gloved hands he carried a large black tethered bag that carried the answer to all of his troubles. The contents of this bag, filled with gold, silvers, rubies, and other precious ores, did not belong to him. No, in the dead of night within the city walls of Fortinbras, he danced with the darkness to take all of which held value at the old city-mayor's home.

Such were the doings of a Thief.

However, if he were to ever care enough to justify his actions, the thief would simply remind himself that the mayor was swimming in splendid wealth and he_ never _gave to the poor. His iron-clad grip over the city was a noose fabricated from the earnings of everyone around him-even his own kin. The portly belly that hung hideously from his torso was always well fed with the finest of meats and wine, and his massive sex drive was always satisfied whenever he saw fit with pretty whores and desperate wives of poor men.

The thief hated him. Him and his entire family.

It was because of that uncaring tyrant that half the city lived in the shambles of poverty, forced to search for half-eaten scraps in trash bins along the main city streets. It did nothing for their pride, and it did little to quell the beast clawing at the insides of their stomachs.

Yet, they could do nothing to stop the blatant disregard for their own well-being. The mayor was in term for life, appointed the position by his eldest brother, the Governor. At first, the citizens were elated to have the Governor's brother reign over the city of Fortinbras. The Governor was an extremely liked man, revered for his kindness and intelligence. The new mayor brought the promise of new and better paying jobs, affordable schools, and hope for a better and brighter future. But let the thief be dammed if that conniving ass did anything to better the city.

But alas, it was because of that man that certain and peculiar...'groups' began to emerge from within the city walls. Organizations filled with thieves and assassins that silently declared war against the wealthy and corrupt to aid the poor and feeble soon littered the shadows of the city. They were a threat to the corrupted swine every time they struck, either stealing or killing, in the name of justice.

Amongst themselves, they were organized and deceptively efficient in their dealings. They had the resources to steal, to kill, to harvest, and to order. A force to be dealt with, but to never cross alone; these groups were demonized by the politicians of the city and by the benefactors of the mayor. Nevertheless, these groups fully enjoyed their "thorn in the side" image as it indicated their growing success.

Within their hidden sanctuary's they kept food banks for the less fortunate citizens to indulge themselves in. For this, much of the city of Fortinbras delivered their humblest thanks to the knights of darkness. If a citizen could, they would play the role of an informant for a group as a way of gratitude for nourishment. Any information given, whether useful or not, would climb the ranks of the group until it met the sinful ears of the most destructive men and women the world had ever seen.

Only the highest ranks within the guilds could go on the risky missions, such as _stealing from the mayor's home_. This was simply because the higher ranks were the more cunning, stealthy, athletic, and significantly more _dangerous_ of the group. It was within the mysterious clouds of their thoughts and actions that the guilds, and much of the citizens, survived.

Unsurprisingly enough, most of the thieves very much so enjoyed the thrill of venturing out into the main city and stealing whatever they could. It was exciting and _fulfilling_ at the same time, like a full-course meal with elegant spices and delicacies with the most lavish of wines poured into a flawless glass cup by some horribly gorgeous waitress. (Or waiter...) And of course, it kept them and their families fed.

The mayor's thief however, one who ranked into the highest caliber and had no one else but himself to feed, found that his occupation was much more like a drug and a necessity. The overall excitement from stealing and killing kept him alive in this dull and colorless world. He craved it. He wanted it. He needed it.

Who else, other than the face of possible imprisonment and death, would befriend a horrid and immoral killer?

"H-Hey! You there! Thief! Stop!" A man yelled from behind the cloaked thief. The raven almost chuckled as he instantly recognized the voice's owner. _What a persistent little man; I thought I lost him a couple of streets ago_, the shadowed man thought amusingly.

The thief stopped in his tracks in the most mockingly way he could possibly muster. This, along with his outstretched arms ready for the iron handcuffs, only fueled the anger of the policeman as he too came to a halt, panting from the exhausting chase. Or was it a chase? The thief hadn't even acknowledged that the officer was running after him, too caught up in his own thoughts to hear anything other than his heart pounding in the confines of his chest. Or he was just ignoring him. _It was probably the latter. _Dammed thief.

"And what do I owe to you, Officer Flynn, the pleasure of this enchanting encounter?" the taller of the two asked as he bowed teasingly, strands of silky ebony hair cascading over his head. The thief was actually well acquainted with this particular policeman, having been chased by the exact same man for well over five years. He knew exactly how to push this smaller man's buttons and tickle all the wrong places. And judging by the man's scowl, the thief certainly knew how to push these buttons well.

"You're under arrest for stealing from the mayor's home. Please come quietly or I'll have to use force!" the golden haired man shouted, trying his best to sound intimidating to the brazen thief before him. But, considering this approach never succeeded in its previous attempts, he doubted he'd win that easily.

"Me? Steal from the mayor's bloodied home? Never!" the thief cried in mock disgust "I'd never do such a horrid and dastardly deed!" Smirking the thief added, "I'm a little insulted you'd think that."

"Is that so, thief? Then care to explain the bag of valuables in your hand there? Or did that bag of precious ores drop out of the sky like your innocence?" the officer scoffed, satisfied with his joke. To this however, the shadowed man only smirked and tapped the temple of his skull twice.

"Clever clever you are, Officer Flynn, but wouldn't you agree that obtaining innocence from the sky makes me an Angel, or quite possibly even a savior?" The raven questioned jokingly. "And besides, how do you know I have ores in this bag? Why not trash? Or even abandoned pups?"

"Nonsense. You steal, lie, and have _killed_. You have no characteristics of an _angel_. You probably wouldn't even be able to stand the presence of one, you demon." the ill-tempered man scoffed, not falling for other man's antics. "And I know you, _Yuri; _and I know what you're interested in: Stealing anything of value."

Yuri let the officer's words wash over him, humming as if debating whether this was true or not.

"Hmm, perhaps I wouldn't be able to. However, I have no intention of meeting an _Angel, _just getting this bag home. And oh!" the thief exclaimed while checking his imaginary watch "Would you look at the time? It's just about time I get going. Toodaloo!" And with that, the raven made a mad dash for the nearest exit, already contemplating the nice hot shower he would have once he returned home.

However, little did the thief know, Officer Flynn had anticipated the shadowed man's appearance at the Mayor's home and knew that he alone could not capture him. So, like all men that had at least a bit of intelligence, the blonde officer organized a group of heavily armed men to wait up the road for the thief. Sure, he would be somewhat...sad...to see the raven's body riddled with bullets, but such was the cost of defending what was just and right.

Such was the price to pay for thievery.

As the thief continued to stalk through the shadows, he quickly looked back to see if that silly officer was still trailing him.

Nothing. He wasn't there.

All that followed the thief was the darkness of the night and the sullen walls of a poor city's streets. If anything, there was quite possibly a small cat following the thief in hopes of being fed and cared for, but he regrettably had little time to worry about a kitten. He had more important people to worry about.

_ That's strange...I'd normally have another eleven blocks to go before Flynn up and quit', _Yuri sighed. _These cops are getting lazy, aren't they?_

As he rounded the corner, the first thing his eyes became acquainted with was the long silver barrel of a shotgun held by arms much thicker and harrier than his own.

The second thing he noticed, something much more terrifying, was that there were at least twenty of these guns. All. Pointed. At. Him.

"LOAD YOUR GUNS!" rang through the streets, quickly followed by the sound of bullets being inserted in their magazines. The command was sharp, loud, and overly obnoxious; if the young thief had to take a guess, it was from one of the police station's squadrons. An entire squadron set out to hunt him.

_Not good_

The ebony haired man turned around completely, his eyes scanning for an escape, an exit, or just _anything._

But all that he saw were the bleak gray walls of the surrounding buildings with rotting doors and cracked frameless windows. Unconsciously, he knew that now with the night's embrace, the buildings looked infinitely more livable. But during the day, an individual could see and almost _feel_ the pain the building bore.

"FIRE!"

Not looking back, the thief ducked and rolled into an alley, immediately adopting a neck-breaking run for the nearest ladder that led to atop a looming building. The sooner he was above the bullets and their caregivers, the better. The bullets hurt, he knew so, but a dozen fists could prove to hurt worst.

"SHOOT TO KILL BOYS!" The over-joyed voice echoed off the dull walls that surrounded him, and the thief could have sworn that he felt the vibrations through the old iron-clad ladder that he was climbing. For a split second, he thought the rust lathering the ladder would give way to such a thunderous voice, but sighed with relief when the ladder held true.

_Lady Luck seems to be toying with me today. She always was such a tease~ _

The thief climbed the ladder faster than he ever thought he possibly could, his arms shaking with effort to keep silent. But better was the strain of avoiding misfortune than meeting misfortune itself. And as the thief personally knew, misfortune was quite the bitch.

As the raven made a hop for the top, he felt something sharp and hard clip the side of his right shoulder, drawing the vivid and sticky substance from under his skin. He knew better than to look back and see _where _object came from, but a snarl filled with malice and money kept him from moving forward.

"Running away, are ya little thief?" the shadowed figure from below laughed. Knowing that he had little time before the other members of the squadron would find him, the thief briefly wondered whether he would have enough time to entertain the man below with a few quirks and insults.

Fun it was.

"Quite possibly. I'm not too fond of having bullets put through my body, you know? It's quite painful", the thief light-heartedly chuckled. Try as these men might, it was very hard to get _this_ man to drop the composure of his voice. It was a weapon that he used to instill both security and insecurity. For now however, it only made the man below shoot at him more. Though the bullets didn't hit the thief, he knew to consider them a warning. A warning taken into pseudo-consideration, that is.

"I know who you are. You're not just any thief, are you?"

"Oh no, I'm just a thief. A normal run-of-the-mill thief. Stealing things of whatever nature…it's my hobby."

Never call this thief a liar, for lying he was not. He did steal many things; from gardening tools to priceless gems and cloths. Anything that could fetch a pretty penny was stolen and sold on the black market. Even dolls. _Though he's been never that desperate before..._

"No no, you're not a normal thief... I recognize that voice of yours..."

"Voice? What voice are you talking about, dear sir?" Yuri asked through a chuckle.

"The voice you're talking with dumb ass!" The soldier snarled, not finding the thief's antics humoring.

"Ahhh, this voice. Tis a nice voice, don't ya think mister police officer?"

"Sounds like sin grating against my ear drums if ya ask me...and where have I heard it before...?"

"Perhaps I am a famous actor? Hmm? Someone you admired from afar?" The thief spoke as if flattered. He wasn't graced with any form of answer for a while though, and he figured the man was reloading his gun until the officer let out a slightly high-pitched, "AHA."

"I know now! You're that Yu-"

The thief didn't stay around long enough to hear the rest of the name. He knew who he was, but having others outside of his guild know was dangerous, fatal even. So, making sure to remember the figures voice for another time, the thief booked it on top the buildings, heading for sanctuary. He would kill that man later…

But oh! How cruel was fate to the raven thief at times! Making a leap for the ground, he misinterpreted the distance required to make a safe landing, and instead landed on a pile of trash bins.

You know normally, he would have just brushed the excruciating pain off and continued off into the night like a silent hunter, but not now. Not when the back of his head collided with the side of a particularly hard trash can; and definitely not since said man's head also violently made itself acquainted with the cold cemented ground.

"Ugh...fuck..."

His vision was beginning to blur as he struggled to move his muscles. Managing to sit up, he forced his body into a sitting position and inwardly snarled at his own incompetence. FUCK. He really needed to get back home now; this was no time to be screwing up like an amateur. What would Raven say should he find Yuri on the ground like an unprofessional dolt?

_ Probably laugh, that sadistic idiot, _Yuri mused.

For a while, he couldn't see anything other than the walls of the surrounding city and the smelly debris scattered around him. Then slowly, ever so slowly, he began to notice signs, grass, and lights in the distance. _Well that's strange...didn't know this part of town could afford fancy signs and grass. Heh…_

Before he could ponder exactly where he was at however, the thief heard rustling and light footsteps edging closer to his position. They were too heavy to belong to a city animal, but far to light to belong to one of the squadron members. Perhaps a curious child trying to be brave?

"W-who's there?" asked a quivering voice from the thief's right. Sighing, and inconspicuously making sure the blades attached to his arm were easily accessible, the thief cracked open his eyes and nearly groaned in disapproval.

The voice didn't belong to a frightened child, but rather, a frightened man. If this man felt threatened, he could easily hurt the raven thief- or worst: Contact the hunting squadron. Just his luck…

"Who's _there?_" the thief questioned back, smirking despite his pain.

"I asked first!" The other man stated rather loudly.

"And I asked second!" Yuri smirked when he heard a huff come from the other man.

"S-so?"

"Therefor, you answer first, or such is the custom of this city's people." Yuri drawled, not bothering to hide his disdain for the city. If the other man noticed it, he didn't say anything in response about it. He just pressed Yuri further for answers.

"W-what kind of logic is that?"

"Mine."

Though he couldn't see the face of the man who was currently attempting (failing) to interrogate him, the thief could barely make out an outline. Slim shoulders clothed in seemingly nice material—no rips or loose ends noticeable-long slender legs snugged tight by what he could assume were jeans, and a scared and slightly shaking figure.

"Where am I?" the thief slurred, his vision becoming filled with dark ugly smudges around the corners of his eyes.

"Answer my question first. What's your name and why are you here at this hour?" the soft voice demanded, much like a mother would when chastising her children when they were in trouble. Soft...that wasn't quite right though. There couldn't be someone with such a soft voice in this part of town. Maybe his hearing was washing away as well, because the voice speaking to him was much too gentle. And this voice wanted his name...

The hell with it. He was probably bleeding to death anyway.

"Yuri Lowell. I'm here because I fell." He said this as if were completely normal.

"From the sky?"

"From the sky."

The other man seemed to dwell over what Yuri said for just a moment, making a commemorating hum before asking another question.

"...What were you doing atop of the buildings anyway? Don't you think that's a bit suspicious and dangerous?" If Yuri knew any better, he'd say he really _was_ being scolded by a mother hen.

"...Where am I, first?" The raven asked.

"You're in sector C. The Entertainment district." The reply was immediate if not a bit confused.

_ Ah. That's why this place looked cleaner._

"Oh...", his eyelids grew heavier. "...Well...what's your name then?" Why not know the name of the man who saw you die? Maybe he could point him out to all the people in hell like an adolescent does with their partner.

Yuri waited a couple of moments before he heard a soft sigh followed by a gentle, "...Luke. Luke's my name."

"Just Luke?"

"Y-yeah, just Luke" the voice stammered.

"Heh...that's a nice name, I guess." _Even though it's not your full name._

"I suppose...Uhm...you look pretty hurt, and I guess I could help..."

"N-no, Just...just leave me. I'm alright." Yuri didn't want this man to recognize his face. If by chance he knew that Yuri was a member of the Thieves guild, then he'd be sent to the prison for sure.

"Look, I'm not looking to steal from you while you're off being knocked out...it's just that y-you look pretty hurt, and well, it wouldn't be good for business if I have a passed out man in front of my shop." Logical, if not a bit insulting, Yuri wanted to laugh at the man's words.

Business…What type of business did this man run in the Entertainment district? Theatre? Game? ….Pleasure? He would have to find out later when he wasn't dealing with a possible concussion.

"Hmm..." He would have said something better, probably something sarcastic, but he couldn't summon the strength to.

"How about I just let you stay in the back of the shop until morning? Would that be okay?"

_...Is he really asking that? Heh...free place to stay at, possibly rob later…_

"...I don't care."

"Well, okay then. Uhm...Do you need help getting up?" Yuri heard the other man fidget and grimaced.

"...no." The infamous Raven thief could at least do that much in his current situation, right? Unsure of himself, Yuri called out for the man. "C-come here though. I might need…a little help."

"O-okay."

Slowly, the soft spoken man emerged from the shadows, wide and beautiful green eyes directed towards Yuri, auburn hair caressing his porcelain face astray, and a delectable pair of lips turned ever so slightly upright, as if whimpering.

In Yuri terms, he was absolutely stunning—a man worth teasing in the near future when he wasn't on the brink of possible death. Fate was so kind…offering Yuri an angel in his oh-so-precious time of need. This man was truly a beautiful specimen…and therefor was not allowed to see Yuri in this despicable state anymore.

With as much strength as he could summon, the raven thief lethargically pulled himself up from his sitting position, trying as hard as he could not to cringe from the pain. He wasn't fond of appearing so vulnerable in front of a stranger; especially one as gorgeous as Luke, but now was not the time to be so embarrassed. If this beautiful man was offering sanctuary, Yuri would take it for the time being, since he didn't doubt the police were still looking for him at this very moment-and he didn't fancy his chances with lady death at the moment.

"Where's the...back door?" The raven asked between clenched teeth. Honestly, he never knew trash bins could inflict so much pain.

With an uneasy glance, the red-headed shop owner semi-turned around so that he could point to his shop's back entrance.

"It's right over there, not that far...Just a couple of steps further."

Biting back a groan, Yuri pushed his body away from the wall and cursed all trash bins in existence while doing so. Every part of his body _hurt _and his bones screamed in protest from the sudden movement. There was a sharp pain in the back of his arm as he moved, and the raven knew he broke something. AndHolyfuckinghell did it hurt...

_ Alright concentrate! Forget the pain! Left foot...Right foot...Left again..._

Yuri was finding it harder and harder to maintain some form of control over his limbs. They were like bags filled with bricks and then lit on fire-certainly not a pleasurable experience to be forced to endure.

"Are you sure you're alright mister?" Luke asked again, watching Yuri's struggle with foreign worry.

"Yeah kid. I'm...good. Promise." The distressed thief sighed. He shouldn't have made a promise he couldn't keep, for as soon as the words left his lips, the alluring blackness of unconsciousness took over and he fell to the ground with a thud.

The pain was lost to an immediate dream though; a dream where Yuri indulged in forest green eyes and silky crimson locks. In all of his life, he had never felt calmer. He felt like he was in heaven, floating and basking in gentle warmth unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. Yuri decided right then and there that if this was what heaven was like, he never wanted to know the warmth of the sun again.

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><p>An:

Okay! Revised chapter. It's not the best work I've ever done, but I wanted to fix up this part just a little bit. When I went back and read the original copy, I was like, "Good GOD, this is atrocious!"

So I fixed it.

Of course, even this revised prologue will one day be revised again. It's normal though. Writing basically is rewriting everything you've ever written before~

Chapter two is on it's way!


	2. The Art of Stealing

**Warnings: Twas not beta'd. If any errors are found, please contact me.**

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><p><strong>Sweet Tooth<strong>

_Chapter Two: The art of Stealing_

Beyond the walls of the grand Fortinbras mansion, the mayor of the city paced nervously in the depths of his personal office, illuminated only by the dancing flames of his fireplace. His normally passive dark blue eyes were wide with concern, as his veins were ignited with such a _burning_ anxiety that the heat threatened to scorch his very soul. This horrid feeling that nipped at his aging skin relentlessly was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

It was defeat.

He had heard of it before in the tales ragged entertainers would sing, or in elaborate plays of tragedy and woe. But never before had he been subject to such a bitter feeling. If it weren't for the cold sense of dread that sat idly in the pit of his stomach, the mayor would have scoffed at himself.

How preposterous was it that he, Claudius Thatcher, born to the noble house of Thatcher, was beaten so easily by a petty thief in search of gold?

Mayor Thatcher had not known what had transpired in his home until it was too late. He had been asleep at the time, dreaming only of black, until a loud bang ripped him from peaceful slumber. It had been a regular guard, sent by the city's Elite to usher the mayor into the basement safe house. Now, try as he might, the mayor could not fathom why he was being forced underground in his daze-like state.

"What's going on?" He had asked the guard countless of times. However, each time he asked, he was given the same useless reply of "I don't know." If the mayor could cut off this young man's tongue for being so incompetent and not get misery for it, he would have done so in a heartbeat.

The mayor of Fortinbras, the second heir to the Noble house of Thatcher, did not deserve such wretched and useless guardsmen. He loathed the fact that it took nearly two hours for an ELITE to finally inform him of the truly unfortunate event that took place within his manor. The ELITE, a youthful man with golden hair, told him that a thief—a filthy mongrel from the streets—ransacked his _home_ and managed to get away. Perhaps more unfortunate, the identity of the thief was not known.

Now normally, the Good Mayor of Fortinbras was a patient man-a kind man. He ran his city with a generosity not seen within many of his family, save for his brother. So, he compelled himself to believe that it was natural to feel such a strong sense of betrayal from his people. He worked hard to make this city a shining jewel befitting of a king's crown! How_ dare_ these fools make a mockery of him!

In his eyes, this petty act of thievery was not the doings of a single man—but the desire of an entire city to ruin his name—Thatcher's name.

Storming out of his office, the mayor knew exactly how he would handle this little problem. He would enlist the help of his most trusted guardsmen— an elite of the ELITE— to find the fool who dared steal from him. And then once this nuisance was found, he would show the city of Fortinbras how thieves were to be dealt with while _he_ was in control.

"Fetch me Van Grants", he barked at the men scurrying in the mansion's halls. "Do it! Now!"

"Yes sir!" The response was automatic and submissive; the men scattering in various directions to find the mayor's favorite hunting dog. Just as soon as they left, a smile soon found itself a place on the mayor's face.

Oh yes, he would make this thief regret his actions _dearly_.

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><p>Yuri knew that he was dreaming the moment he opened his eyes. Honestly, there was no other explanation for the little electric balls of light that pranced around in his face, inadvertently mesmerizing him as they sparked and swayed. They were quite small in size, vivid in color, and constantly dancing with each other to a song Yuri only wished he could hear. He watched as they would meld into each other, the colors mixing with one another for a while, until they separated as if they were never a single entity.<p>

He tried touching one once, just to know what they felt like. He imagined his finger would run straight through the little thing, as sometimes they looked so unreal and _extraordinary_. But, when the tip of his finger made contact with an orb straying too near, his finger was nipped and he had pulled his hand back quickly as if it were burned.

"Feisty", Yuri chuckled as the orb sizzled.

The dancing orbs were mostly striking hues of green and red, and it would seem as if each color had its own personality. Unsurprisingly, the orbs that were green swayed a bit peacefully, as if a mellow song sang by nature played throughout the white space Yuri was confined in. And the Raven thief thought it befitting that the red orbs danced in a lively frenzy, quickly and without a care.

He liked it best when these two colors melded. When they were one, the orb would practically sing, and Yuri swore he could hear a faint voice coming from it. He heard this voice before; he was sure of it. But for the life of him, he just couldn't remember where.

However, this was but a dream. A dream he could not decipher the meaning of, but yet still found the tranquility it brought greatly appreciated. As he watched the colors stir and sway, Yuri decided that he quite liked the colors green and red.

They were…nice, comforting, and…awfully familiar.

Red and...Green.

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><p>The first thing he noticed when he woke up was the delightfully horrid throbbing of his head. It was a truly dreadful pain; as if two strong men were beating the inside of his skull violently with metal clubs, taking turns in making Yuri wince in pain. The throbs corresponded with each beat of his heart, and for the briefest of moments Yuri willed his heart to stop. The pulsing of his veins, or perhaps the mere awareness of discomfort, seemed to add a slight edge to the already sickening throbbing sensation.<p>

However, this acknowledgement of agony was given only a moment's worth of attention. As soon as he realized that he did not know where he was, his entire mind was instantly on alert. Eyes opening wide, he willed his body to move. And damn, he was _not_ ready for the consequences. A raw ache claimed his entire body, eliciting a hiss of pain from his mouth. Not only did his head throb violently, possibly threatening to burst at any moment, his arms, legs, and back felt incredibly sore.

What the hell had happened to him? And more importantly, where the hell was he?

Slowly, bits and pieces of the night prior flooded his mind. It had been a mission—one dubbed suicidal by his guild members—and he had barely managed to get away from the unexpected amount of guardsmen. There had been artillery guns, Flynn and his holier-than-thou righteousness, an evil…silver…monster…

And then there had been green. But details were sparse, and he found his memory was filled with gaps and incomprehensible blurs.

"_Doe_s_n't fucking help_…", he muttered to himself.

With great effort he sat up and pressed his back against a nearby wall, letting his eyes quickly scan the area for potential danger. The room he was in, with its dusty wooden floor boards and blue walls, was quite empty. There was but only a small wooden table, a chair, and a very small chest Yuri doubted held anything of value. Jewels perhaps? But, at a closer glance he decided the chest itself was probably worth a nice amount of money, the detailed designs swirling and arching with promise.

Yes, he would come back for this chest later.

The only light in the room was the soft sunlight streaming in from the window and instead of feeling on edge about his predicament, Yuri decided that the atmosphere of the room somewhat calmed him down. There were no guards, no immediate signs of danger, and no indication that he was wounded—besides the God awful headache he had. Nevertheless, he would need to find out where he was, where the hell his bag was, and who brought him here. And the first step to his answers was _to get up. _

_Okay, simple enough, _he thought.

Bracing his hands on the floor beneath him, the thief groaned as his arms lifted his body off of the ground. Lithe muscles protested and bones ached, but he continued until he was fully standing, leaning slightly on the wall for support. Yuri stretched, wincing as his joints popped, before taking a step towards the wooden door.

It was odd, to say the least, that he'd end up anywhere else but the city's prison. He was a master thief, a killer, a monster—or so said the city's Guard. By what miracle of the heavens was Yuri allowed to escape certain death yet again? Nevertheless, the Raven thief was certainly not going to question fate.

In his line of work, you took what you could get.

Slowly opening the door, trained fingers tightened around a weapon that wasn't there, and Yuri helplessly wished that the room had at least something he could arm himself with. He didn't quite fancy fighting anyone in hand-to-hand combat—especially an enemy that was potentially much larger than he was. The pull and push of that battle would certainly be enough to ware him thin, for as skilled as Yuri was, his current condition was quite the annoying handicap

The throbbing of his head was truly a work of art. An annoying, ugly, and spiteful little masterpiece of pain and despair that Yuri loved to despise at this moment.

A single eye peaked into the bare hallway, taking notice of the single picture frame that adorned the walls. There was nothing more, and in all honesty, Yuri found this to be relatively good news. Normally, had he been trapped within the throes of danger, the walls would be littered with nonsensical portraits of men clad in gold, and women in silken silver. Maybe even a posh dog or two.

So this was all going good. He might actually survive this horrible ordeal should he find the exit. (Oh, but the doubts would still linger and sink ever deeper into his mind!)

Quietly, ever cautiously, the thief proceeded to make his way down the hallway, gliding over the wooden floor like a shadow. The hall was fairly short in length, and within fifteen light steps or so, the raven thief soon found himself face-to-face with yet another door.

And of course it would be at this moment Lady Luck decided that Yuri wasn't quite worthy of anything resembling _good luck_ at the moment. Which was absurd, really. He worked quite hard for his annual earnings.

But alas, hard work aside, the thief heard mumbling on the other side of the door. _Voices. _He heard _voices_ on the other side of this door, a traitorous development in the grand scheme of escape and survival. Truly an event worthy of the curses brewing in the thief's mind.

Quietly, he placed his ear on the door and listened to a conversation not meant for his ears to hear.

"I'm just saying Luke. Sooner or later they're going to find you. No sense in staying here any longer...so come back home! We could leave as early as tomorrow morning!"

"I just...I can't. I really like it here, Guy. The shop is doing well and a lot of kids really enjoy the items I sell. I just...I can't. You know that already."

The thief's eyebrow rose just a fraction short of outrageous surprise. He was in a shop? One that catered to children? _Precious._

"I know you like it here Luke. But, let's look at the realistic flow of things. Okay? Just for a second. I'm your friend, your caretaker, and I know you enjoy what you're doing. But your father doesn't, and he wants you back by the end of the week."

"Guy I-"

"No, Luke", the other man cuts him off. "Either you're home by the end of the week, or he'll send _them_ after you. And I can't fight those guys off for you Luke. I'd die. And you? You'd get hurt."

A long sigh drags out, shaky and hopeless. "I know. But I can't leave. I'll...I'll figure something out, okay? Just give me some time..."

"Alright, Luke", sighed Guy in defeat. "I'll be back tomorrow for your answer. That's...that's all I can give you pal."

"All right. Thank you."

Yuri held his breath as a pair of feet, heavy and slow, walked towards the opposite direction, a door opening and closing as the other man finally left the vicinity.

The threat had been knocked down from two men to one, and the odds were now overly in his favor, something the thief took great confidence in. So now was the best time to take his chances and slightly open the door...and...take a small...little...peak...

_creeeeaaaakkk_

The door decided to sing the song of it's people for all the world to hear, and before Yuri can even make a mad dash for the other room there's a light chuckle coming from the other side.

"You don't have to hide, stranger. It's safe here, I promise."

Pretentious door.

The man's got a voice like honey, and sure, it's alluring in all of it's sweet melodic chime-but Yuri's no fool. Innocence is one of life's biggest illusions. Just as it's equally one of life's greatest weapons-one that begs to be exploited and handled like a delicate little miracle.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Yuri replied teasingly. "I just got here." Nevertheless, he pushes the door until it is fully opened, stepping into the shop fully, and marvels at what he sees.

He's in a candy shop. _  
><em>

He's _literally_ in a candy shop, complete with jars upon jars of sweet pieces of candy, brightly checkered marble floors, and all other sorts of colorfully crafted mindless stuff. Stools, lights, pictures, and _more_ jars. There's even _barrels_ of boxed candy lining the walls!

And as mind-boggling as it all is, for he thought to be somewhere...more hostile, his sights soon stumble upon something even more marvelous.

A man with eyes of emeralds and hair of fire-and he's just _stunning. _

His hair burns brightly on his head like a tamed fire, and it frames his face so nicely that it _deserved_ to be in a how-to text book. His eyes, deep green and just simply beautiful, manages to steal a little of his breath away. He's smaller than Yuri, but the thief picks up on sleek muscle in the man's bare arms, and he vaguely wonders what the muscles on his legs look like.

_What his torso looks like._

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to, uhm, explain anything as you woke up. You were out cold for a long time", Luke explains. "How's your head?" The red-head's gaze is surprisingly unsettling, and he finds it a bit difficult to tear his eyes away from that _green._

Never to be deterred however, Yuri chuckles, "It feels fine! Thank you ever so kindly for asking."

_Never reveal weakness to a stranger._

_"_That's good", he hums and then smiles, and holy is it _beautiful_, "You took a pretty nasty fall last night all over the trash bins outside. You were kind of wrecked", Luke finishes bashfully.

There's a small blush creeping over Luke's cheeks, and though it's no where near as bright as his hair, it's just as stunning. _Marvelous._

"Did I now?", Yuri asks, because he honestly doesn't _necessarily_ remember that part. "I hope I didn't cause too much of a disturbance!" He leans a little to get into the man's personal space, content with the light scent of peppermint wafting from the red-head's clothes. It suits the red and white stripes on his pants and shirt, and Yuri vaguely wonders if the smell is on his skin as well.

But that thought is banished from his mind rather quickly, though not without some effort.

"Oh no! You weren't a disturbance at all, and I'm sorry I couldn't really help you that much. I'm not much of a healer", the red-head admits, ducking his head a little.

"Oh, that's quite alright. I've nothing but a bump on my head. Truly nothing at all", the thief explains, thoroughly enjoying the man's flush.

There's a soft _tick tock _coming from a goofy little clock on the wall, and Yuri notices that it's a little past three, and _wow he was supposed to be home by now, bag and all._

"Well, you looked a little more hurt than that...so I was a little worried. You hit your head on the trash bins _hard._" Luke shuffles from foot-to-foot, and it shouldn't be that adorable, but it _is_.

Yuri wants to stay a little longer-really he does- but he reminds himself of other priorities. _One_, in particular, that holds a fortune within it's clothed confines. He doesn't want to be entirely tactless about this though. There's always a chance that this man can turn on him at any chance he gets.

_But likewise, there's always a chance that he won't,_ a tiny voice sings. Yuri's gut says he wants _more_ than just that little reassurance though. But hell if he knew what he wanted other than a couple bags of food on the table for his Guild.

And there's something the candy man said that embarrasses him beyond belief. Trash bins? Was that honestly what had taken down _the_ Raven Thief? A pair of metal bins used to store this man's trash?

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

"Well, I'm all better now!" Yuri lies, flashing a faux-smile. "Really! Good as new...", he trails off, asking for the man's name with his eyes. Though he's pretty sure from that conversation that this is _Luk_e.

_Marvelous and stunning Luke._

_"_Luke," the red-head answers, smile still in place. "We actually exchanged names last night. Unless...Yuri isn't your real name", he chuckles.

It's meant to be a joke, really, but the alarm bells instantly go off in Yuri's head. They all blare loudly in his head, repeating mantras over and over again like it's going out of style, and the inklings of a monster spread and nearly infect all rational thinking.

The first alarm says that this stranger knew his _name; _something he protected with his _life_. Hell, not even a fraction of his own _guild_ knew his real name. Now this complete stranger, someone who could be working with the police for all he knew, knew his face and could put his name to it.

His _real_ name.

The second alarm, much louder than the first, tells him to get out of there quickly. As in **now**. Get out and never ever come back to the little candy shop with the green-eyed man. Leave it all behind-maybe even burn it to the ground.

The third alarm wants to know what else this stranger knew. It wonders what other delicate things loose lips and damaged minds let slip when he wasn't there in control. The worry is like lead in his stomach; anxiety like acid in his veins.

Collectively, the three alarms lead to the fourth alarm...the loudest. The alarm that rings in his ears like a blood-curdling scream, yelling one thing over and over in his mind without hesitation, without pause. _Kill him. **Kill** him. Kill **him**._

And he almost listens; almost gives into what the voice is demanding him to do. He almost snaps Luke's pretty little neck like he's done to other's countless times before.

But he doesn't. His fingers itch, his body tenses, and all the murderer in him wants to do is hear bone cracking and to know that he's safe from discovery this time...

But he doesn't make the kill; doesn't even move.

"What else did I say?" He asks instead, reigning in the beast calling for blood. His eyes bore into that green, hoping to God Luke won't tell him what he doesn't want to hear.

_And it's strange that he even cares. Strange that Yuri has given this man such a luxury. He should kill him. He just snap his neck and leave. There's nothing special about this man. Right?_

**_Right?_**

"Nothing really. You sort of passed out after that", Luke answers, withering a little under the man's intensity. "And you've been asleep since then in the back room. I couldn't carry you anywhere else..." Green eyes spoke the truth in all of it's simplicity, and the trained thief tunes in on to it like a hawk. Maybe even relished in it.

"I see", is all Yuri mumbles back, a flood of relief filtering through his body. Luke didn't know anything else; he didn't need to kill the man.

_A sweet innocent man who ran a candy shop. _

Moments go by and neither of them utter a single word. It's weird because the silence carries a tension unfamiliar to Yuri. Dare he say it...but this silence carried an _awkward _bout of air to it. As in, they both weren't even looking at each other anymore, opting instead to let eyes roam around a candy shop for some form of sanctuary.

Were candy shops _supposed_ to be so colorful anyway?

"Well, I'd hate to impose on you any further, Luke. I must be going now", Yuri finally says lamely. "If you'd kindly give me my bag, I'll be on my merry way."

Staying any longer was a bad idea. Every second wasted here prevented him from cashing in his heist and getting back home. The guild was still waiting for him and that money, and he would be damned if he couldn't give it to them. That bag was food, medicine, and water all wrapped up in one little package. In fact, he'd have to personally thank the Mayor one day for graciously offering such a magnificent present.

Luke silently nodded, reaching into his pocket to take out a small set of bronze keys. "Are you sure you're okay? You more than likely have a concussion and I don't think that you shou-"_  
><em>

"I'm fine, Luke," Yuri chuckled. "Really. But I really do have to go now. I'm...late for something. Really late actually, and I need that bag."

The Raven thief watched Luke bite his lower lip before relenting. "Alright. But you should probably get checked out by a healer."

"Of course!" The throbbing that still persisted in his head promised a world full of merciless hurt should he do otherwise. It would probably be a good idea to consult _him_ as soon as he got home. _There goes his afternoon..._

With one last look of reluctance, Luke finally walked towards another door adjacent to them and unlocked it. A rather large silver safe, thick and sturdy, sat heavily on the floor. "Your bag looked kind of important since you were clutching it and everything... I didn't look in it, but I thought I should probably lock it up until you woke up. Hope that wasn't a problem", Luke calls over, turning the knobs on the safe in an untold pattern.

"Not at all! I should be thanking you actually", Yuri happily replied, crossing the room swiftly once Luke unlocks the safe. "This bag _is_ very important. It belonged to my great great great grandmother's aunt's husband's uncle."

This was a lie lie lie. The bag was filthy, and it belonged to a little demon of a girl who probably wasn't missing it anyway. But precious Luke didn't need to know that. He especially didn't need to know what was in the bag. Diamonds, rubies, and pearls-_oh my. _

Cue Yuri quickly picking up the heavy bag and plastering a cheesy smile on his face, ignoring the look of doubt on the other man's face. "Thank you very much for your help, Luke. You really saved me." And it really wasn't a lie. If anyone else had found Yuri...

Well, it probably wouldn't have been as pretty as Luke.

Literally.

Smiling, said pretty red-head extended his hand. "Any time. And hey, if you ever want to come by,and uhm, buy some candy...You can." Luke stuttered, which was cute, but Yuri could tell there was another set of word behind those that were spoken.

He just couldn't tell _which._

"Sure thing. I'll swing by sometime, so keep the shop open, okay? I do have a bit of a _sweet tooth._" Yeah, the thief could work double meanings too, though he really hoped Luke _wouldn't_ understand Yuri's hopeless flirting. He shook Luke's hand, hanging on to it for a bit longer than necessary.

Luke's hand was smooth and warm, and his fingers were long and poised. For a worker's hand it was a bit odd, to say the least. Normally there'd be some callouses along the fingers or palm. But he supposed that working in a candy shop wouldn't require too much physical labor. Maybe lifting up boxes every now and then-nothing too strenuous. Hell, Luke might even have other people to do that stuff for him.

Or so he'd rather believe anyway.

As Yuri made his way towards the exit, bypassing a couple of eager looking kids yelling for candy, Luke called out to him one last time. "Hey Yuri? Be careful. Don't get into too much trouble out there."

There was a slight falter in his step, guilt seeping into his skin without invitation. This man just harbored one of the most-if not _the_ most-wanted criminal in all of Fortinbras, and here he was telling the multi-talented criminal to be _careful. _If it truly wasn't ignorance that kept Luke from turning Yuri in, then he had no other clue as to _why._

_Though he wasn't complaining at all by any means._

The Raven Thief, in all of his magnificently refined prowess, simply turned around and smiled. "Of course!"

Another lie, and from the look on Luke's face, he knew it was a lie as well. But the green eyed man said nothing, just simply offered him a smile worth cherishing in memory.

Yuri had a funny feeling that this wouldn't be the last time he'd lay his eyes on Luke. He had an even funnier feeling when he thought about never seeing him again at all. It was a cold kind of feeling, something he'd much rather live without. So he promised himself, right then and there as he moved swiftly through the channels of streets, that he would most definitely swagger his way back to that candy shop for whatever reason he could muster up.

Perhaps for that chest, perhaps for a little candy, or perhaps for a little green.

Whatever the reason, he would be back.

But for now, he was heading home to his guild.

* * *

><p>an:

Okay, so, I haven't updated this story in a very long time. I apologize profusely!

In truth I had lost interest in the Tales of fandom, and honestly, I'm still not really in the fandom anymore. I've just lost interest.

However, I haven't lost interest in this story. I rather like the plot and twist I have planned out, and so I want to finish this story so you amazing people can maybe like it too xD

Also, I want to specifically thank Gears Dipped in Red Ink for pushing me into finishing this chapter. Without her, I would have dumped this story completely. And I'm really grateful for her patience with me, as I know I've been putting this off for quite some time.

I've decided on doing monthly updates, so the next update will be on August 2nd. This gives me plenty of time to write the chapter and edit without it interfering too bad with my other responsibilities (such as my job).

Additionally, I would like it to be known that I can be found on tumblr, and that progress reports on chapters, along with more author notes, and other stories can be found on my blog. Please refer to my profile page for the url.

**Please note, this chapter is subject to further editing even after publishing. **


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